Chemical spill forces evacuation of 200 families in northeast Lubbock

LUBBOCK — A specialized hazardous materials team from Dallas is coming to Lubbock to deal with a potentially dangerous chemical acid spill at the Bayer Crop Science facility on Erskine Street just east of Interstate 27 this morning.

Robert Loveless, Lubbock fire marshal, said the chemical is “not compatible with human beings, we don’t want anyone hurt,” but added readings from 500 to 1,000 feet from the spill were not picking up any traces of hazardous fumes.

“It’s not going anywhere. If that changes we’ll let the public know,” said Loveless. “We have the staffing to rapidly evacuate if we need to.”

About 200 families from the nearby Guadalupe neighborhood have been evacuated, according to Victor Hernandez, Lubbock city councilman.

The Red Cross set up an evacuation shelter at the Salvation Army at 15th Street and Avenue J. As of 2:30 a.m., one family and a man were at the shelter.

The plan is to keep the evacuation until repairs are done and there’s no estimation of when that will be, officials said this morning. It’s also unknown if Guadalupe Elementary would hold classes later today.

Monty Christian, vice president of U.S. Cotton Operations for Bayer Crop Sciences, said the chemical is used to get fiber off cottonseed.

“It’s not explosive, but it’s corrosive to skin or if you inhale it,” he said.

No one at the seed quality processing assurance facility was injured, said Christian.

The Lubbock Fire Department made a number of Facebook posts about the incident.

“The chemical leaking is anhydrous hydrochloric acid and is very dangerous if contacted or inhaled,” said a posting on the Lubbock Fire Department’s Facebook page around 1 a.m.

But just before 2 a.m., an updated post said, “The actual substance in the vessel is hydrogen chloride. When released hydrogen chloride reacts with the moisture in the air to form hydrochloric acid. It has a vapor density of 1.268 which means that it is heavier than air (it sinks) but is readily dispersed by wind.”

“We are using computer simulation software to predict where the cloud may spread based on predicted and current weather conditions,” said another post.

“A cold front is expected to arrive in the area by 1 a.m. shifting winds from the north. As a result we are issuing an updated map with a new area of concern. Residents within the red triangle are urged to evacuate to the south past Marsha Sharp Freeway or to the West past Avenue Q. Reverse 911 calls are in progress to warn residents and LPD is assisting with evacuations as well,” said an earlier post.

“What is currently leaking is one 3,000 pound tank located on a trailer consisting of 10 tanks. Our hazmat team is on the scene but due to the nature of the leak it is not possible to stop. A specialized hazmat team from Dallas is en route that will transfer the contents of the leaking vessel to a new containment vessel. We expect them to arrive by 5 a.m.,” according to another post.

Hernandez said he was asleep when he got a call from the immediate past president of the Guadalupe neighborhood association. Then he talked to an assistant fire chief.

“They have evacauated,” said Hernandez, including Father Pena from St. Joseph Catholic Church. Residents in about a half-dozen or so homes along Erskine were also evacuated, said the councilman.

When asked if most residents were going to the shelter, Hernandez said Father Pena is staying with another father, the neighborhood association president was at a hotel and the previous president went to stay with in-laws.

The spill was discovered about 7:40 p.m. Wednesday night by folks who work at the facility, Hernandez said. An alarm went off and workers contacted local authorities.

Police were not letting traffic go north on Buddy Holly Avenue where it goes under the Marsha Sharp Freeway.

Traffic was not being stopped on I-27.

Red Cross sent out a Tweet saying they are opening an “evacuation shelter at the Salvation Army for those impacted by the acid spill in NE Lubbock. Details to follow.”

"If the danger is still present in the morning, we will keep it open longer,” said Bill Curnow, emergency services volunteer with the Red Cross.